Just four years after being hailed as England’s standout performer on their run to the Euro 2020 final, Raheem Sterling’s career has stalled dramatically. The 30-year-old forward, once central to Manchester City’s dominance, now finds himself on the fringes at Chelsea, where his contract has become the sticking point in a deepening standoff.
Sterling joined Chelsea in 2022 as the first major signing of Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital’s ownership era. The club paid £50m to bring him from Manchester City, while handing him a five-year deal worth £325,000 per week. At the time, it was presented as a marquee statement, with then-manager Thomas Tuchel overseeing his arrival.
However, two turbulent seasons at Stamford Bridge saw Sterling working under four different managers—Tuchel, Graham Potter, Frank Lampard, and Mauricio Pochettino. In that period, he made 81 appearances and scored 19 goals, but Chelsea slumped to 12th and 6th place finishes.
The turning point came when new head coach Enzo Maresca excluded him from his first-team plans. Sterling was sent on loan to Arsenal last season, but his time at the Emirates proved underwhelming. Now back at Chelsea, the winger has been placed in the so-called “bomb squad”, a group of unwanted players training away from the senior squad.
At the heart of the deadlock is the £30m still owed in wages on his contract. Chelsea are reluctant to pay him off, while Sterling has no intention of making it easy for the club to terminate the deal. Until a resolution is found, a return to top-flight action appears unlikely before January at the earliest.
Life in the bomb squad is far removed from the elite environment Sterling once thrived in. With limited access to first-team facilities and little competitive football, the forward faces a bleak chapter in what was once a glittering career.
For now, Sterling’s future remains in limbo—caught between the remnants of a high-profile transfer and the reality of a Chelsea rebuild that no longer has room for him.
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